虛堂和尚語錄 4.9

4.9

名實相當，行解兼備，以平等大心，待四方衲子，方可據曲彔床，又須八面受敵，臨機縱奪，邪正不可得而前，透到佛祖著眼不及處，使學者心死意消，便能勃然而興、凜然而變，方可稱此題目。纔有毫末許，與人領覽，則為佛法罪人矣。豈況隈隈𣯧𣯧，半死半活，被二十四氣輥得七顛八倒，做主不成，似者般底，欲使叢林茂盛，標準後學，得非難乎。古德道：「達磨大師，空手來空手去。」已是揚塵簸土，曲為今時。黃梅七百高僧，箇箇希求佛法，惟盧行者一人，眼不識字，專事供舂，所以西土衣盂，密而授之。蓋此門不易湊泊，若夙有靈骨，不待揚眉瞬目曲巧方便，直下蹈翻從上老凍膿窠窟，全身擔荷，空手來空手去底一著子，豈不快哉，何患名實行解不昭著於時也。

Only when name and reality correspond, and practice and understanding are both complete, treating patch-robed monks from the four quarters with a great, impartial mind, can one occupy the curved wooden chair. Moreover, one must withstand attacks from all eight directions, giving and taking as occasions arise, so that neither the deviant nor the correct can advance, penetrating to where the Buddhas and patriarchs cannot set their eyes, causing the student's mind to die and thoughts to extinguish, whereupon he can vigorously arise and awe-inspiringly transform—only then can one be worthy of this title. If there is even the slightest hairsbreadth given to another to grasp, one becomes a sinner against the Buddha-dharma. How much more so if one is cowering and timid, half-dead and half-alive, tossed topsy-turvy by the twenty-four solar terms, unable to be master of oneself! For those like this to try to make the monasteries flourish and serve as a standard for later learners—would that not be difficult? An ancient worthy said, 'Great Master Bodhidharma came empty-handed and went empty-handed.' This was already raising dust and winnowing dirt, condescending for the sake of the present age. Among the seven hundred eminent monks at Huangmei, each and every one sought the Buddha-dharma; only Postulant Lu was illiterate and attended solely to pounding rice. Therefore, the robe and bowl of the Western land were secretly transmitted to him. This gate is truly not easy to approach. If one inherently has spiritual bones, without waiting for the raising of eyebrows, the blinking of eyes, or roundabout, clever expedients, one immediately overturns the old ulcerous den of those from of old, shouldering with one's whole being this single move of coming empty-handed and going empty-handed—would that not be delightful? What worry could there be that name and reality, practice and understanding, would not shine brightly in this age?"